Be it fair or unfair, club culture has been inextricably associated with ecstasy use for decades. While it goes without saying that not all – or even a majority of – dance music fans indulge in the illicit substance, finding out whether or not pills are “cut” with more dangerous chemicals has long been a looming concern among the subset of the scene which does partake. It is, perhaps, fitting that British artist Daniel David has chosen to capture the culture in his work by cutting gargantuan pills from stone to create giant ecstasy statues.

In this project, the award-winning sculptor has carved out a niche for himself as the “Michelangelo of MDMA,” picking well-defined pieces displaying recognizable graphics such as the Playboy bunny, the Mitsubishi emblem, and the Apple logo out of white Portland stone or pink Locharbriggs sandstone. Reportedly, the statues are being sold within a range of £100-£1,000 (roughly $128-$1,280 USD), depending on size.

Addressing the polarizing nature of the work, the artist’s representation provided the following statement to Daily Mail:

“Daniel is in no way promoting the use of ecstasy. He is simply reflecting ’90s dance culture through his artwork.”

Regardless of whether one condemns or condones the substances David captures in his sculptures, they are an interesting site to behold.

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